Barga today lost one of its most enduring figures – that of Benedetto Rigali aged 75. He was the Proposto Don Piero Giannini’s right hand man for many years. Both suffered through illness in the last years of their lives. Benedetto was there by the side of Don Piero was his last public appearance when though unable to take part in the Processione di Gesu Morto in 2007, he did arrive at the end of the ceremony on the Fosso to give a final blessing.
Benedetto was photographed many times over the past decade as he shuffled through Barga Vecchia enveloped in a cloud of smoke coming from his ever present pipe.
Even though he spent the last two years of his life with some serious health problems he never gave up his trusty pipe. Those close to Benedetto knew that what he was smoking in his pipe was not even pipe tobacco but was actually broken up Toscana cigars (the same that Clint Eastwood smoked in all those spaghetti westerns) – now that takes some doing.
One of the last acts that Don Piero did before his death was to present Benedetto with his own gold St. Christopher medal which he proudly wore round his neck until the last.
Thank you for the piece about Benedetto Rigali. He always had time to stop and chat and he will be much missed by all who remember him. What beautiful photos, too.